This article share’s DaVita’s very inspiring case study. It’s a great story of how focusing on culture makes everyone more successful. It’s also a great example of positive influence in action.
Browsing Tags change
Influence your mood – enjoy life more
Choose to feel more joy - influence it
Feel better more of the time. Influence yourself with imagery.
The images we have in our minds directly influence what neurochemicals (hormones) are released into our body. This is scientifically proven. When we have images of fearful things in our minds it triggers the release neurochemicals that literally make us feel bad. When we have images of good things it triggers the release of neurochemicals that make us feel good. If we’re in danger, the fear responses are helpful. If we’re not, they’re unnecessary stress and to be honest, a real downer.
I use images of past successes, of soothing nature, of great relationships to influence my mood. What do you use?
Improvisational Leadership – the “yes and” approach
Yes and…
The art of accepting reality and building upon and adapting to it… rather than fighting, denying or complaining about it.
What changes are happening in your life that are out of your control? What would be better for you to accept and adapt to quickly? What areas would you be more successful in if you were even better at accepting and improvising a positive response.
When we disagree with someone’s idea, approach, beliefs we often respond negatively. Sometimes that’s helpful, usually it’s not. If we can affirm (yes) to what we DO like and then build (and) in a mutually beneficial direction we build motivation and openness.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting “Improvisational Leadership” one of my favorite trainings. “yes and” is the capstone of the training. Every time I talk about it I feel my own skills improve as well. It’s one of the joys of teaching what you love.
Soon I plan to start posting video clips of these concepts in action or being taught. I hope that helps make much more sense of it all.
I’d be delighted to receive examples from readers about where you use “yes and” to influence your world more positively.
Best DNA: Be more of the best of who you are
We can’t actually be anything we want. I’ll never be an astronaut because I get dizzy and claustrophobic. Instead I’ll put my energy into
being the best of who I am. It feels completely natural and exciting for me to stand in front crowds of people helping them learn, making them laugh, helping them connecting to each other in positive ways. I love who I am in that moment — I love being me. So I “amp up” these qualities of mine and be the best of who I am whenever I can. It makes life so much richer.
Each of us have native strengths and passions that when we use them fully make us feel wonderfully alive. When we find the strengths and passions that also help us make a living we are on a path of fulfillment, achievement and increasing power.
1) What are your strengths and passions?
2) What do you do that makes you feel fully alive?
3) How can you “amp up” those strengths in your life to be even more fulfilled, successful and vibrant?
4) What are people willing to reward you for doing?
Find out what lies at the intersection of all three of these areas. That’s your Best DNA for work, or for volunteer work, or whatever area you want the rewards in.
How would you answer these questions for your employees … spouse … children?
If you want help answering the strengths questions, the book “Go Put Your Strengths to Work” and other works by Marcus Buckingham can be very helpful. (note: The author has absolutely no connection to Buckingham, only respect for his work.)
Later in 2012 Matchbox Group (matchboxgroup.com) will be putting out a self-assessment process for discovering your own Best DNA, along with tips on what to do to enhance that and make your life more successful and fulfilling.
Relax… Recharge… Refocus…
photo by bob faw
What helps YOU create “R Responses” in yourself?
Our brains are highly influenced by what we see. The images effect what biochemicals are put into our system. Even our mental images have this effect.
When stressed out, distracted, confused, anxious or angry we can CHOOSE to focus on something that creates an “R Response”. An image like this sunset can induce dopamine and endorphins to flow in us. Equally important, it can soothe our brain so that the “stress hormone” cortisol is no longer produced.
Then we’re able to relax… our bodies can now recharge… and our minds are able to refocus…
Refocus on what we WANT, rather than what we fear. Refocus on influencing positive results, rather than reacting and worsening the situation.
What do you do to create R Responses in yourself? I’d love to hear from you!
(FYI: If you liked this photo click here to see my “Soothing Photos” album)
Daniel Pink asks, “Is purpose really an effective motivator?”
This blog post of Dan’s shows great research to answer this question.
This is why we say, “Influence your world”.
Make your world better and it will also make you more productive.
Go on improvement road trips!
Improving yourself, relationships, or your organization is like a journey. We’ve all heard this many times I’m sure.
What if we look at improvement as a ROAD TRIP?
Fun…
Adventurous…
Exploratory…
Half planned and half improvised…
Where the journey is as exciting as the destination…
I’ve gone on many road trips
- developing myself
- growing my career
- helping organizations improve their cultures
- coaching individuals and teams to success
The best road trips are the ones where I knew it was an adventure while I was on it.
This recession is a detour, an unsought for part of all of our road trips. How can we adventure as much of it as possible?
Make your life an adventure. Go on improvement road trips.
Positive Change Questions that can transform every part of your life
Positive Change Questions
These three questions create positive direction, momentum and creativity–fast. I’d guess that in most situations 95% of the problems that might have been brought up in tension-causing ways are dealt with simply by answering these questions. That saves a lot of potential waste of time and emotional energy from blaming, defensiveness, avoidance, obfuscation of the goals, etc. If there are still problems to be dealt with after answering these questions, I find that people address them more positively and optimistically having already created significant momentum towards their goal(s).
Our Positive Change Questions tend to increase momentum, goal-focus and unity in a team. Each question has specific effects on the people answering them:
Goals? It is part of being human to be regularly distracted from our goals by the demands of the day, the stressors of the moment, and the frustrations caused by problems. It can be easy to become focused on fixing problems that may have little impact on our actual goals, particularly in interpersonal dynamics. Answering this question helps to refocus ourselves on the point of why we’re doing what we’re doing.
What works? This helps us build upon momentum that already exists by first asking about our past successes. This question has many powerful benefits. This builds confidence by focusing upon the capabilities, attitudes, tools and resources we already have. It helps us to remember to do what has been successful when we might otherwise have left it behind unnoticed and unappreciated. A third benefit is that we learn during these dialogues about many best practices that others have used and how they were used successfully. Then we focus on what is currently working for others. This broadens our focus by learning from others’ best practices as well. These conversations also help motivate people to strive to create best practices that will be mentioned in such discussions in the future. There is a very healthy pride that is cultivated in these discussions as well.
I’ve noticed with many clients that “What works?” is rarely used during most teams’ problem solving. This habit often lowers morale, creates meetings most people loathe, and the too common Blame Game.
What else? I find it very helpful to do this after the “What’s working” discussion so that we are building upon the momentum and thus it is far easier to keep focused on solutions and away from blame.
It is helpful to “think out of the box” regularly, too. Allowing a free flow of ideas on other alternatives is the fundamental step in innovation. I’ve found it also builds a sense of vitality and creativity in teams. Done well, it cultivates a culture in which ideation is rewarded and innovation is fostered. It is very helpful to have commonly agreed upon brainstorming guidelines during this stage.